In any collaborative work environment, white boards serve as an invaluable tool which can be used by participants to enhance communication, understanding and responsiveness. A whiteboard allows individual participants to share ideas instantaneously by writing their thoughts onto the whiteboard for review and immediate feedback by participants. The participants may then share their responses on the white board, promoting conversation and dialogue resulting in a more efficient and complete exchange of ideas. With advancements in technology, the concept of traditional whiteboards has been expanded to take advantage of our modern digital age.
Electronic whiteboards provide users with an interactive touch screen upon which a variety of functions may be performed such as to display a computer screen, to show videos, to create text, to take notes, and to act as a presentation aid. Projectors allow multiple viewers to view videos, presentations, and documents at once. Personal computing devices such as laptops, computer tablets, and smartphones allow users to instantaneously share information with one another through electronic networks. With a variety of different technologies and personal computing devices, it has been a challenge to create the correct synergy between those technologies and devices to create a truly collaborative workspace.
In typical work environments, projectors and whiteboards (both traditional and electronic) are stationary and located within a conference or meeting room. Often times the conference or meeting rooms are used without utilizing the available technology within the room and without using any personal computing devices. As a result, it can be difficult or impossible for every worker to have access to such technology. This decreases the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of the workers and the technology. To combat the problem, companies may be forced to obtain additional office space and purchase and install whiteboards, projectors and associated hardware to meet company needs. Additionally, in typical work environments, only a single person can be presenting at any one time. The projectors and electronic whiteboards are limited to displaying only one connected device. As a result, when a presenter takes the podium in those typical work environments, the audience can only passively observe.
In light of the above, it would be advantageous to provide an improved collaboration system which has the ability to provide a mobile conference room utilizing all of the latest collaborative technology in a low-cost, compact, and mobile unit. It would be further advantageous to provide an improved collaboration system in which multiple users may utilize a single display simultaneously, creating a platform where users may interact with one another. It would further be advantageous to provide an improved collaboration system in which users may connect wirelessly, through a hard connection, or across the internet. It would further be advantageous to provide an improved collaboration system in which the collaboration technology is easily replaceable. It would further be advantageous to provide a collaboration station which is powered by a self-contained rechargeable power system, removing the need to be constantly connected to the power grid. Furthermore, it would be advantageous to provide a collaboration station which incorporates a concealable pull-out conference table. It would be further advantageous to provide an improved collaboration system having the ability to attach multiple types of displays and interactive surfaces.